Stories

Stories >> Stories home >> Look who's stalking

Look who's stalking

Someone twisted was watching my every move... but who?


Published by: Polly Taylor
Published on: 8th November 2010

They say friends are like stars – you don’t always see them, but you know they’re there. That’s how I felt about my one-eyed pal Don Jones, 47.
Friends for seven years, we’d been through so much together – the break up of my marriage, the death of his dad…
Okay, in the last two years we’d drifted apart. Don had been busy with his girlfriend Jan, and I’d been spending time with my bloke Paul.
I was still certain I could count on him, no matter what. That’s why, when Paul and me split up, Don was the first person I called.
‘Come over, we’ll talk,’ he said.
Before long, we’d slipped back into our old ways, sitting in his kitchen putting the world to rights over a cuppa.
Turned out he’d broken up with Jan, too, so we had plenty of catching up to do! ‘It’s good to have you back,’ I said. ‘I’ve really missed my old mate.’
‘Don’t worry,’ he smiled. ‘I won’t let you go again.’
We’d both been through the wringer lately, and needed a break, so booked a holiday to Egypt together. A week of sun, sea, and sand flew by and, with the help of a few cocktails, we put our break-ups behind us.
But back home, just as I was getting used to the idea of being on my own… I met someone.
‘His name’s Richard,’ I told Don. ‘He’s funny, gorgeous…’
‘Uh-huh,’ Don frowned. Seeing the look on his face, I realised how insensitive I was being. He was upset about Jan, and I was flaunting my new romance in his face.
Later that night, I felt bad. Don was probably worried Richard would come between us. I vowed to reassure Don the next day, when I’d finished work at the supermarket.
But as I got to the store’s car park on my way to Don’s… ‘What’s happened to my car?!’ I yelled.
My light-blue Peugeot 306 was covered in dark blue spray paint.
I couldn’t believe it! The same thing had happened two years ago, just after I’d started dating Paul. It was even the same colour paint!
I got my mobile from my bag, and called my daughter Tracey, 36, to tell her what had happened.
Later that week I called Don, told him my news. ‘Who on earth did that?’ he demanded.
‘No idea,’ I said. ‘Remember when it happened before?’
‘Gosh, yes…’ he said.
‘What if someone’s got a grudge against me?’ I shuddered.
‘Don’t be silly,’ he soothed. ‘It was probably kids.’
Maybe I was overreacting…
But over the next few weeks, there were other strange goings on. Junk mail started to arrive at my house. Catalogues, flyers, takeaway menus – you name it, it landed on my doormat. ‘I didn’t ask for any of this!’ I whined to my son John, 21, as he helped me shove them into bin bags.
‘But where’s it coming from?’
‘I don’t know,’ I sighed, flopping on to the sofa to watch TV. But, flicking it on, I frowned.
Odd, the screen was all fuzzy.
Checking the back of the TV, I gasped. The aerial’s wire had been yanked through the wall outside, and cut clean in half!
Now I was sure. Someone was targeting me, trying to make my life a misery. But who?
Everyone was as baffled as me, including Don. ‘I don’t know who’d want to upset someone as lovely as you,’ he said, hugging me.
At least I had my pal to keep me sane. Still, I was desperate to know who was behind this.
Over the next few weeks, I was starting to get really fed up. As my son helped me clear up more junk mail, he stopped, clutching one of the flyers.
‘Mum,’ he gasped. ‘This one has the postcode of the sender on it!’
He sat down at the computer, and put it into the search engine.
‘Oh my God,’ he said.
‘What?’ I asked.
‘It’s Don’s address!’ he spluttered. ‘He’s been sending these!’
My mind raced. What about his reaction when I’d told him about Richard? Hang on… the first time my car had been damaged had been when I’d met Paul! I called the police, told them everything.
That night, they called me back. ‘He’s admitted everything,’ I was told. ‘We’ve warned him to stay away from you.’
Good! But that night I had to call Don, desperate for the answer to one question. ‘Why?’ I asked him.
‘I’m obsessed with you,’ he said. ‘When you told me you were with Richard, I couldn’t handle it.’
Obsessed with me? I’d trusted Don, told him my deepest secrets – yet he’d been keeping this from me! I felt utterly betrayed.
My ordeal was far from over. One day at work, I walked down the ready meals aisle – and stopped dead in my tracks. There was Don, pushing a trolley towards me.
Terrified, I turned and raced to the nearest checkout. ‘He’s here,’ I panicked to my pal Paul.
‘He’s been here all day, pushing a trolley up and down.’
I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. He was wandering the aisle like a little lost boy! But I wondered if there was a more dangerous side to him.
He started parking his car outside my house, and dropped off flowers once. Dear Becky, the kindest person I’ll ever have the pleasure of knowing.
Who rewarded the kindest person they’d met by frightening them? When Don refused to stop contacting me, I phoned the police again, and he was arrested.
At Redditch Magistrates Court,  he admitted damaging my car and harassing me. He was ordered to stay away from me and given a 12-month supervision order.
I thought I could count on Don, but he betrayed me in the worst way. Now I know the only person I can count on is myself.
Becky Smith, 54, Redditch, Worcs